Mecistogaster kesselringi, Soldati Lacerda & Monteiro Machado, 2019

Soldati Lacerda, Déborah S. & Monteiro Machado, Angelo B., 2019, The damselfly genus Mecistogaster (Odonata: Pseudostigmatidae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest with a description of three new species and a neotype designation for M. amalia (Burmeister, 1839), Zootaxa 4668 (2), pp. 207-228 : 216-219

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4668.2.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F41E013A-A2B0-4642-AED6-27777DA950B5
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/762BC803-D81D-4E32-88AA-B01EFEF6F5A9
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:762BC803-D81D-4E32-88AA-B01EFEF6F5A9
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Mecistogaster kesselringi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Mecistogaster kesselringi sp. nov.

( Figs 7 View FIGURES 4–7 , 8 View FIGURES 8–10 , 11–14 View FIGURES 11–16 , 21, 22 View FIGURES 19–22 , 29–31 View FIGURES 29–33 )

Holotype. ♁ ( ABMM), Brazil, Paraíba State: João Pessoa (07° 08’ 58” S, 34° 52’ 24” W), 12.X.1974, J. Kes- selring leg. GoogleMaps

Allotype. ♀ ( ABMM), Brazil, Paraíba State: Santa Rita, Gargaú (07° 03’ 01” S, 34° 54’ 00” W), IX.1975, J. Kesselring leg. GoogleMaps

Paratypes. 9 ♁♁, 13 ♀♀. Brazil, Espírito Santo State: Colatina, VIII–IX.1937, M. Rosa leg. (2 ♁♁, MNRJ) ; Pernambuco State: Igarassu (07° 49’ S, 34° 54’ W), Usina S. José, 12.III.1945, Berla leg. (♁, MNRJ) GoogleMaps ; idem, 24.V.1945 (♁, MNRJ) GoogleMaps ; idem, 24.V.1945 (♀, MNRJ) GoogleMaps ; São Lourenço da Mata , 30.VI.1975, J. Kesselring leg. (♁, ABMM) ; idem, 1.XI.1974 (♀, ABMM) ; idem, Tiúma , 10.II.1976 (♀, ABMM) ; Timbaúba, Água Azul , 15.X.1988, J. Kesselring leg. (♁, ABMM) ; idem, 29.X.1988, Kesselring & Brown leg. (♀, ABMM) ; idem, II.1989 (♀, ABMM) ; Paraíba State: João Pessoa , X.1974 (♁, ABMM) ; idem, Mata do Buraquinho , IX.1975, Machado & Kesselring leg. (♁, ABMM) ; idem, Mata do Gargaú , IX.1975, J. Kesselring leg. (♁, ABMM) (copulating with the allotype) ; Jõao Pessoa , 6.I.1954, J. Kesselring leg. (♀, ABMM) ; idem, 10.XI.1974 (♀, ABMM) ; idem, X.1978, A.B.M. Machado leg. (♀, ABMM) ; idem, Mata do Buraquinho , 1.II.1975 (♀, ABMM) ; Mamanguape, Reserva Biológica de Guaribas , 26.VII.2014, J. E. Santos Jr. leg. (♀, ABMM) ; Bahia State: Simões Filho , 15.XI.1984 (♀, ABMM) ; idem, Unidade Ecológica do Campo Industrial de Aratú , 4.X.1986, Machado, Smith & Raw leg. (♀, ABMM) ; idem, Amargosa , 11.VII.1997, Fazenda Timbó, Mielke & Casagrande leg. (♀, ABMM) .

Etymology. Named after the lepidopterologist Jorge Kesselring, who collected a great number of the specimens studied herewith.

Description of holotype. Color. Head. Labium yellow; labrum black; anteclypeus dark brown; postclypeus black; genae pale yellow connected to pale yellow stripes in antefrons, whose remaining structure is black; upper part of head black with dark brown stripes between lateral ocelli and base of antennae; rear of head yellow.

Thorax. Prothorax: pronotum (see Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4–7 ) black, with C-shaped reddish-brown and pale lateral markings on median lobe. Anterior and posterior lobes black with yellow spot laterally. Propleuron (see Fig. 5 View FIGURES 4–7 ) black, with pale yellow and reddish-brown markings. Pterothorax: mesepisternum black. Middorsal carina black. Antehumeral brownish-yellow stripe occupying less than half of sclerite. Mesinfraepisternum black with reddish-brown spots and mesepimeron black with reddish-brown area restricted to its lower 1/5 ( Fig. 8 View FIGURES 8–10 ) with brownish-yellow stripe along mesopleural suture and yellow marking posteriorly on sclerite, metapleuron black with brownish-yellow stripe along metapleural suture. Venter pale yellow with median and lateral black stripes ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 4–7 ).

Wings. Both FW and HW hyaline with black venation ( Figs 11, 12 View FIGURES 11–16 ). Pseudostigma black in FW and HW. Pseudostigma of FW with 8 cells and 2 cells in row below, and in HW with 7 cells and 2 cells in row below. Costal margin at level of pseudostigma of HW abruptly projected anteriorly ( Fig. 12 View FIGURES 11–16 ). Venation: Px in FW 38, in HW 34. RP 2 in FW arising at Px 16, in HW before Px 12. IR1 arising at Px 26 in FW, at Px 22 in HW. Petiolation in FW and HW originating at level of CuP-crossing.

Legs. Femur flexural surface dark brown, extensor surface black. Tibia flexural surface yellow. Tarsus black.

Abdomen. S1–9 dorsally metallic dark blue; S1–7 with lateral yellow stripe; S8–9 with lateral brown stripe. S10 black with brownish-yellow markings laterally and ventrally. Cercus black externally, and internally black with pruinosity.

Structural characters. Thorax. Hind prothoracic lobe rounded laterally and straight at hind border.

Legs. Tarsal claw with a conspicuous supplementary tooth.

Genital fossa. Cleft of anterior lamina shaped as ogival gothic arch. Anterior hamuli without alula ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 17–18 ). Arms of batilliform lamina not visible. Posterior hamuli curved anteromedially. Penis segment 3 forming a long flagellum disposed vertically with an anterior and a posterior curvature. In ectal view ( Fig. 21 View FIGURES 19–22 ), inner fold with a pair of large sclerotized spines with agglomerated hairs apically. The spines delimitate subrectangular depression, the fossa of the inner fold. Terminal fold projects laterally to the spines. In lateral view ( Fig. 22 View FIGURES 19–22 ), plate-like lateral lobe appears in its full extension and continuous posteriorly with the terminal fold. The apex of inner fold is projected ventroapically as a tubercle. The contour of penis segment 2 has dorsal and ventral margin straight.

Abdomen. Hind border of S 10 in dorsal view with median concavity (see Fig. 27 View FIGURES 27–28 ). Cercus in dorsal view convergent distally (see Fig. 27 View FIGURES 27–28 ). Apex of cercus in lateral view bent ventrally (see Fig. 28 View FIGURES 27–28 ). Distal portion of cercus slightly elevated, not forming 90° with proximal portion (see Fig. 28 View FIGURES 27–28 ).

Measurement (mm). HW 58, abdomen 117.8.

Variation in paratypes. Posterior lobe of the prothorax marginated with yellow and slightly concave at the middle. Mesepisternum black with metallic dark green reflections along the middorsal carina; antehumeral stripe yellow, occupying a little more than half of sclerite. Venter without lateral black stripe (15% of specimens studied). Pseudostigma of both wings dark brown or HW brown and FW black. Number of cells of pseudostigma varies in FW from 6 to 8 and 2 to 3 in row below; in HW from 5 to 7 and 2 in row below. S1–6 with lateral yellow stripe, S7–8 with lateral brown stripe, S8 and/or S9 with yellow spots laterally, S10 totally black or dorsally black in the base and V-shaped posteriorly, reaching the margin medially; remaining S10 yellow. Cercus mostly yellow externally and black internally or mostly dark brown externally and internally. In one of the specimens the apex of the inner fold is hardly visible.

Measurement (mm), n = 7. HW 52–58.2, abdomen 115.5–122.

Description of allotype. Color. Head, prothorax, pterothorax, venter and legs with colors similar to those of the holotype.

Wings. Both hyaline with pseudostigma light brown and dark brown venation ( Figs. 13, 14 View FIGURES 11–16 ), with 6 cells in both wings. Costal margin at level of pseudostigma of HW not projected anteriorly ( Fig. 14 View FIGURES 11–16 ). Venation: Px in FW 38, in HW 34. RP 2 in FW arising at Px 14, in HW at Px 11. IR1 arising at Px 23 in FW, at Px 18 in HW. Petiolation in FW and HW distal to CuP-crossing by same length of CuP-crossing.

Abdomen. S1–7 dorsally black, laterally yellow; S8 black with incomplete lateral yellow stripe; S9–10 totally black. Cercus black, conical and slightly shorter than S10. Cercus in dorsal view slightly divaricated ( Fig. 30 View FIGURES 29–33 ). Ovipositor black.

Structural characters. Thorax. Hind prothoracic lobe with border straight.

Legs. Tarsal claw with a conspicuous supplementary tooth.

Abdomen. Epiproct ( Fig. 31 View FIGURES 29–33 ) trapezoidal-shaped, trilobate laterally, with lobes yellow, medially excavated. Dorsal surface longitudinally striated, posteriorly with a small transverse elevation in the middle and a longitudinal cleft anteriorly. Ovipositor ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 29–33 ) reaching about the level of S10 border. Valve of ovipositor with row of spines, the distal one larger and curved preceded by 9 spines of equal size and more proximally by tubercles extending to the surface of the valve.

Measurements (mm). HW 60.8, abdomen 94.6.

Variation in paratypes. Border of hind prothoracic lobe slightly concave. Wings light brown infuscated. Pseudostigma brown, white with light brown venation or light yellow with black venation in both wings, and some specimens with a pale apical area reaching RA. Number of cells of pseudostigma varies from 6 to 7 in FW, and from 5 to 6 in HW. S1–6 dorsally metallic dark blue to purple or S1 metallic green and S2–6 metallic blue, S7–8 with light brown stripe laterally, S9 with light brown marking laterally. Cercus slightly longer than S 10 in dorsal view, parallel or slightly convergent. Valve of ovipositor with five distal spines of equal size and in two paratypes with distal third or fourth spine smaller; distal one larger and three spines before of equal size or the distal three spines intercalated with smaller ones. In some paratypes the structure of the epiproct surface is less distinct.

Measurement (mm), n = 13. HW 47.3–64.1, abdomen 74.3–101.9.

Differential diagnosis. Mecistogaster kesselringi sp. nov. shares with M. mielkei sp. nov. the anterior hamule without alula. It differs from M. mielkei by having the mesepimeron reddish-brown restricted to the lower 1/5 of sclerite, penis segment 2 in lateral view with apex of inner fold directed ventroapically as a tubercle and with contour dorsally and ventrally straight.

The female allotype of M. kesselringi differs from the female of M. amalia by the epiproct trapezoidal-shaped and trilobate laterally, while in M. amalia it is triangular-shaped and not trilobate laterally. Mecistogaster kesselringi has wings with no pale apical area or if present, reaching only RA, while M. amalia has wings with pale apical area reaching RP1, RP2 or IR1. Mecistogaster kesselringi has mesepimeron with reddish-brown area restricted to its lower 1/5 and the venter with lateral black stripes; already M. amalia has mesepimeron totally reddish-brown and venter with no lateral black stripes. There is no difference in the valve of ovipositor and posterior lobe of prothorax between M. kesselringi and M. amalia .

Male and female of M. kesselringi present the mean of the abdomen and HW size (♁ abdomen: 118, HW: 57; ♀ abdomen: 88.5, HW: 56) smaller than M. amalia (♁ abdomen: 123, HW: 60; ♀ abdomen: 100, HW: 64).

Mecistogaster kesselringi occupies the Atlantic Forest of the states of Paraíba, Pernambuco, Bahia and Espírito Santo. In Northeastern Brazil it is sympatric with M. nordestina and M. mielkei . Besides being sympatric with M. mielkei at Espírito Santo State it is also sympatric with M. amalia ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ).